3 things Chelsea should do to save their season under Graham Potter
Chelsea's slump in form under the new ownership continued as Manchester City beat the Blues for the second time in four days and highlighted the huge gulf in quality between the two teams.
Todd Boehly, the club's new American co-owner, hasn't shied away from taking big steps — ranging from sanctioning a massive outlay in the summer to sacking Thomas Tuchel — to ensure a quick foothold in English football.
It is fair to say that in the past few months as Chelsea's sporting director - a title he has relinquished himself from this week - Boehly has realized patch-work fixes and coughing money without proper talent identification is not going to work in a league that's perhaps more competitive now than ever.
Chelsea currently sit 10th in the Premier League table, having managed just two wins in their last 10 games in all competitions and have exited both domestic cup competitions in the first round for the first time in 34 years.
The away section at the Etihad Stadium sang "We've got super Tommy Tuchel" during the FA Cup defeat to show their discontent with the hierarchy's decision to let go of the German coach, who reached six finals in his first 15 months at the club.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola told Chelsea owner Todd Boehly he must give Graham Potter time to implement his ideas at Stamford Bridge after watching his side beat the Blues for the second time in four days https://t.co/vePWXL5KMK
Nevertheless, the best thing Boehly can do at the moment is remain supportive of his first managerial appointment and use the remaining days of the winter window to find the right talent to save Chelsea's season.
Here are three things the London club should do to address their current predicament:
Get the best out of Joao Felix
Chelsea's malfunctioning forward line has been one of the big reasons behind their poor form. With one fewer league goal than Manchester City's Erling Haaland (21), the attack is in need of reinforcements more than any other area in Potter's squad.
Joao Felix is set to move to Stamford Bridge on loan. But the Portuguese's impending arrival has invited more questions than answers.
Felix will bring more to the table than Kai Havertz thanks to his superior ball carrying and striking, but he's not good enough to lead the line on his own. He thrives at receiving the ball at the feet and seldom makes runs into the channels.
As such, to get the best out of him, Potter would need to pair him alongside a striker who opens up space for Felix with his runs as well as excels with his back to goal to combine with him in proximity.
Among the names linked with Chelsea at the moment, Marcus Thuram appears to be the best option to make a significant difference to Chelsea's attack alongside Felix.
Rejuvenate the midfield
If Boehly intends to keep the purse strings relaxed, Chelsea should go all out for Enzo Fernandez. Despite Benfica head coach Roger Schmidt suggesting the saga is over, Chelsea and Benfica are reported to still be in talks over the midfielder.
The World Cup winner has both the mentality and ability to give a new lease of life to Potter's midfield, which is in desperate need of an overhaul.
Fernandez can play anywhere in the middle of the park, but to maximize his skillset, he should be given the freedom to roam higher up the field and receive the ball between the lines to cut-open defenses through final passes and his own attempts at goal.
He plays alongside ball-winner Florentino Luis in a double pivot (4-2-3-1) at Benfica. Schmidt utilizes Fernandez's exquisite passing range and press resistance to push play into the final third through short link-ups.
At Chelsea, he will be an upgrade on Jorginho by bringing a similar level of composure on the ball in midfield and athleticism out of possession. Florentino's role can be mimicked by defensively-minded Denis Zakaria for the remainder of the season.
1 - Enzo Fernández led all players for touches (118), successful passes (77) and tackles (10) in the final. His 10 tackles were the most of any player in a World Cup final since Gennaro Gattuso in 2006 (15). Blessed. https://t.co/lm03PdjnWM
Chelsea will break all sorts of records if they decide to trigger the Argentine's €120m release clause, but in Fernandez, they will get a player who's more than capable of transforming their midfield and solving the creative issues that have plagued much of Potter's time at the Bridge.
Reece James' back-up
Reece James has had an injury-laden campaign, and it would be an understatement to say that Chelsea have missed his presence. The West London outfit have won seven league games this season - six of those victories have come in the Englishman's seven appearances.
The 23-year-old won't be available until next month, and even then his minutes may need to be managed properly to prevent a fresh injury setback.
Accordingly, the Blues need to find a quality right-back to cover for James to ensure there's no evident drop-off in quality when he's not available. Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta, at 33, is certainly not an ideal option.
A new RB signing mid-season alongside Benoît Badiashile, Felix, and a new midfielder might be too much of an ask, but Chelsea need to take major strides in January to give Potter any chance of finishing in the top four.